Citing Print Sources in MLA Style

The MLA (Modern Language Association) style of documentation includes 3 kinds of entries:

A short parenthetical reference in the text;
A section entitled "Works Cited" for full publication information about the sources; and
A superscript in the text to indicate that a comment about that point in the text is in a corresponding "Notes" section at the end of the paper.

For additional examples and detailed descriptions, consult the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers in the Reference collection. (REF LB 2369 .G53 2003)

REFERENCES IN THE TEXT

A short reference in parentheses is used to document quotations or ideas. Include the author's name and page number.

Reference to a quotation from one work by a single author

A recent study of student success confirms that "students who read succeed" (Smith 51).

Smith found that "students who read succeed" (51).

Reference to an idea (indirect quotation) from one work by a single author

Smith compared student success with time spent in the library (51).

Reference from a work by two or more authors

Scholars have found that students who read mystery novels develop strong problem-solving skills
(Smith and Jones 99).

Reference from an anonymous work

College graduates spend more time in leisure reading than those with high school degrees
("Winning the Semester Sprint" 19).

WORKS CITED

The "Works Cited" section includes full publication information about the sources used in the paper.

List works in alphabetical order by the authors' last names.
Begin each entry at the left margin and continue the entry on an indented line (hanging indent).
Capitalize all significant words in the titles of books and articles.
Underline the titles of books and periodicals.
Double-space the entire list unless instructed otherwise.

I. BOOKS

Book with one author (If the author is an editor, use ed. after his or her name.)

Author's last name, first name. Title. Place of publication: Publisher, copyright date.

Smith, Hieronymous. The Community College Student. New York: Atheneum, 1987.

Book with two authors (If the authors are editors, use eds. after their names.)

Smith, Hieronymous, and Elizabeth Jones. A Study Guide for New York State Civil Service Examinations. 5th ed. New York: ARCO, 2002.

Book with three authors

Smith, Hieronymous, Elizabeth Jones, and Arnold G. Farnsworth. The Preservation of Southern Antiquities after the Civil War. New York: Harper & Row, 1976.

Book with more than three authors

Jones, Peter, et al. History of Art. Berkeley: U of California P, 1997.

Work in an anthology (poems, short stories, essays or articles in a collection)

Gee, E. Gordon and Patricia Senn Breivik. "Libraries and Learning." Libraries and the Search for Academic Excellence. Ed. Patricia Senn Breivik and Robert Wedgeworth. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press, 1988. 25-39.

Article in a reference book (add full publication information for less familiar reference books)

Prouse, Michel R. "Plantagenets." The Cambridge Encyclopedia. 4th ed. 2000.

"Quebec City." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Ed. James H. Marsh. 4 vols. Edmonton: Hurtig, 1988
ed.

II. ARTICLES

Article in a magazine

Author's last name, first name. "Title of Article." Name of Periodical Date: page number(s).

McGrath, Ellie. "Higher Education for Lower Cost." Money June 1983: 150+.

Article in a newspaper (include edition or section if available; add city in brackets if not in periodical title)

Jacques, Michael. "Buying a Computer." The New York Times 30 Dec. 1996, late ed.: D1+.

Ronke, Maria. "Vegetarian Feasts." Star-Ledger [Newark] 2 May 1996, final ed., sec. 6: 15.

Article in a scholarly journal with continuous pagination throughout volume (add volume number before year)

Reichert, John, and Sam Hallahan. "Academic Libraries and Student Success." ELH 48 (1981): 83-
109.

Article in a scholarly journal that pages each issue separately (add issue number after volume)

Baum, Rosalie Murphy. "Alcoholism and Family Abuse." Mosaic 19.3 (1986): 91-105.

III. MEDIA

Film

Title, Dir. First name, Last name. Distributor, release date.

It's a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. RKO, 1946.

DVD, videocassette, filmstrip, slide program, laser disc (add original release date, medium, distributor, release date)

It's a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. 1946. DVD. Republic, 1998.

Sound recording (add medium if not a CD; if desired add conductor, orchestra, etc. for emphasis)

Holiday, Billie. Billie's Blues. Fat Boy Records, 1994.

Marsalis, Wynton. Trumpet Concertos. National Philharmonic Orch. Cond. Raymond Leppard.
Audiocassete. CBS, 1983.

NOTES

Occasionally, information that is peripheral may be included in a section of notes. Notes are indicated in the text with a superscript, and arranged by number on a separate page at the end of the paper.

[Sample Paper]

Studies have shown a correlation between reading and education. College graduates¹ spend more time reading than those with only a high school diploma. Other studies have focused on gender differences in reading habits. One study² conducted by the Carnegie Mellon Foundation in 2001 found that, on average, women spend two to three hours . . .

Notes

¹ Although this study examined four year college graduates, community college graduates follow similar patterns of reading behavior.

² This study was funded by the National Institute on Literacy for Women and Children.

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